


And End With a Song

by phxsphorvs (andsowefell)



Series: Starfall [5]
Category: The Sandman (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 23:18:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5516870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andsowefell/pseuds/phxsphorvs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If and consequently when Lucifer dies, he will end with a song, because there is nothing else he can do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And End With a Song

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Insecure!Lucifer

He waves one golden hand before her goldfish bowl, and the fish inside glows radiantly.

“Hey, Lucifer,” she greets him, not knowing whether to smile or scowl at him, and he dips his head, birdlike, in answer.

Around him, there are no shadows, only light, and he hurts her eyes, so she shields them with her hand. He takes no offense at the gesture. He knows better than to let himself be goaded by Death, even if she is not trying to anger him, and so he lets the issue drop.

“I don’t think my _fish_ likes you, Lu,” she grumbles, pulling the bowl away from him, and he watches her carry it into the sitting room, so small a form for so large an idea, and he shakes his head in wonder. Death returns carrying a lime-flavoured popsicle and a glass of red wine, which she sets before him.

“ ** _Thank you_** ,” he says, waits until she’s opened her treat to sip at the wine. He’s less bright now, and no less lovely.

“Alright,” Death finally sighs when she has eaten the popsicle and thrown away her wrapper, and sits beside him, legs crossed. “Why’re you here?”

“ _ **I didn’t know where else to go**_ ,” he admits finally, after minutes of tense silence. He turns away so he won’t have to look at her, and Death gently hooks two fingers beneath his chin and turns him back around.

“There’s always your _bar_ , Lucifer,” she allows, a bit sardonically, but why shouldn’t she be? Lucifer appeared in her flat, unannounced, and claims he had nowhere to go. It’s simply too bizarre to believe.

“ _ **Burnt down,**_ ” he sighs, and leans his head against the couch he’s leaned against. “ _ **I can’t repair it, since it was never real.**_ ”

“Well, then, how’d you make it in the _first_ place?” Death asks, intrigued and confused, and he shrugs.

“ _ **I don’t know. I imagined it, willed it to appear and Be, but now that I’ve tried to repair it it won’t do what I want. It’s very frustrating.**_ ”

“The irony of your situation, or not getting what you want?” she asks, amused.

“ _ **Both,**_ ” Lucifer says, and that’s that. He finishes his wine, letting the mellow taste of cherries, chocolate and above all, good alcohol linger in his mouth and burn in his throat. Already the familiar warmth is beginning to bloom in his chest. Death doesn’t ask if anyone died in the fire; she has not been near _LUX_ for weeks. Or even in its block of town.

“Why didn’t you go to Dream?” she asks, then, softly, and traces over the bones of his hand with one slender finger. Lucifer lets her; he knows better than to annoy Death.

“ _ **It was crowded, and your brother didn’t seem to**_ **want** _ **me there,**_ ” Lucifer grumbles, sounding genuinely offended that anyone would eschew his presence, and it draws a bubbly, sunshiney laugh out of Death. She lets go of his hand.

“Well, he’s an idiot,” she grins. Lucifer raises one immaculate eyebrow, eyes shining with confusion and good alcohol, and cocks his head.

“ _ **How so?**_ ”

“I like having you here. Even if you don’t knock,” Death offers.

“ _ **There’s nowhere**_ **to** _ **knock,**_ ” Lucifer argues, astonished, and she grins again, and kisses his cheek.

“I know. I was messing with you,” she giggles. “You’re always welcome _here_ , sweetie.”

Lucifer smiles back properly for the first time ( _ever_ , she thinks), and he’s radiant like this, so beautiful she understands Mazikeen immediately.

“ _ **Thank you,**_ ” he accepts, still smiling. Death finds herself reaching for his hand again, and dropping her own before her fingers can braid into his and their palms can touch. The flash would be too bright to stand, and after that, she won’t even know what happened, in any case.

No, Lucifer is best left Alive, Existing, with his wings working and his soul shining and his heart beating. After all, it’s only through him that she understands life and Herself, and all her own aspects. When he goes out, if ever he does, Death knows it will be glorious, for he will end with a song. He has to.

**Author's Note:**

> This is set post- _Brief Lives_ , after Delirium visits Lucifer and Death leaves her flat to help Del and Dream find Destruction.


End file.
